Link connection.



No. 391,153. PATENTED JUNE 1 1908.

' c. DOWSB.

v LINK CONNECTION.

APPLIOA TION FILED NOV. 21, 1907.

WITNESSES INVENTOH J lfzei fiazmse A TTOHNE YS- rm: NORRIS PETERS 50.,WASHINGTON, p. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED CHARLES DOWSE, OF TAYLOR, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOHARRY P. JONES, OF TAYLOR, PENNSYLVANIA.

LINK CONNECTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED CHARLES DOWSE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Taylor, in the county of Lackawanna and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Link Connection, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is an improvement in link connections adapted-for use inany relation where a secure but easily detached line, chain, or suchother device, is desired, such, for example, as in harness, vehicles, onshipboard, etc.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a face view of a link connection embodying my invention;Fig. 2 is a corresponding view at right angles to Fig. 1,

i partly in section; Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the manner in whichthe link is disconnected; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of aflattened link having my improvement applied thereto.

In carrying out my invention, I em loy a hook or eye member 5 having aradiaily-arranged slot 6 adjoining the shank thereof and passing intothe eye or central opening 7. The slot 6 is of less width than the eye7, and in view of its relative location will be at all times removedfrom the engaging or working portion of the hook.

Adapted to engage with the eye member or hook 5, is a link 8 which maybe circular, as shown in Fig. 1, or of the ordinary flattenel ellipticalform, as shown in Fig. 4. This link is constructed at a point of itslength with a flattened portion 9 of reduced thickness, the reduction inthe thickness of the metal being made at the inside of the link in orderthat the outer face of the flattened portion 9 will be continuous withthe links periphery.

The flattened portion 9 is arranged at substantially right-angles to theplane of the opening in the link, and is extended a substantial distanceat one side in order to com- Sipecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 21, 1907.

Patented June 16, 1908.

Serial No. 403,168.

pensate for the metal removed at its inner face, thus making the link ofsubstantially uniform strength throughout its length. This extension ofthe flattened portion 9 also prevents this part of the link from beingdrawn through the eye 7 of the hook, where,- by it is unlikely that itwill become accidentally disengaged. Unintentional disengagement of thelink is obviously rendered more remote by arranging the flat portion atright angles to the plane of the link opening.

While it is practically impossible to.acci dentally separate the hookand link, the same may nevertheless be readily disengaged by any onefamiliar with the construction; this being accomplished by drawing thelink through the hook until the flattened portion registers with theslot 6, as shown in Fig. 3, in which position the disconnection andassemblage of the two members may be easily effected.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

The combination of a member having an eye and provided with a slotpassing therethrough connecting with the eye, and a link constructed ofa material of greater diameter than the width of the slot and ofslightly less.

diameter than the diameter of said eye, and provided with a flattenedortion arranged at an angle to the plane of its opening and adapted topass through said slot, the reduction in the thickness of the materialof which the link is composed being made at the inside of the link,whereby the outer face of the fiattened portion will be unbroken and ona line with the adjacent portions of the links periphery.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED CHARLES DOWSE.

Witnesses WALTER G. CUsTER, MORGAN J. JoNEs.

